☀️

Hi Bluesky friends: I wanted to share that my book, THERE IS NO PLACE FOR US, is coming out in March. Based on a half-decade of reporting, it examines the rise of America's "working homeless," following five Atlanta families desperate to secure housing in a gentrifying, increasingly unequal city.

Today, I found out that the Department of Defense banned the Well-Read Black Girl anthology by Glory Edim. I was one of its contributors.

I'm really hurt right now. So if you have it in you, please buy books by Black women from independent bookstores.

A good thing to do if you are flailing a bit right now (as who is not??) is to get in touch with your own values, the things that you find life affirming and necessary in the world. Read some inspiring works about things you value - labor solidarity, scientific achievement, social justice.

Oh yes, Homer’s famous “Tes Thdpssssps.”

👍🏻

When FAA employees are telling us it’s not safe to fly, we should probably listen.

YouTube video by PBS NewsHour PBS News Weekend full episode, Jan. 25, 2025

A while back I asked folks why they’re joining Bluesky and the most common response I saw was, “I just want a good place to get my news” and, yall, no. Bad.

GET YOUR NEWS FROM THE NEWS

PBS Newshour is FREE FOR EVERYONE.

youtu.be/PMOYN8JWdUk?...

Map showing the number of times a location has burned in SoCal and which kind of fire it was: one burning under Santa Ana winds, or one that was a summer, fuel-driven fire without Santa Ana winds. Malibu area had burned at least 8 times from 1900-2017, and has burned twice now since. Image from Kolden and Abatzoglou (2018): https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6255/1/2/19

Here's the reality about the #LAFires this week: this isn't the first time ANY of these places have burned. Not even close. In 2018, we mapped CA fire history to look at fire frequency across SoCal. Santa Monica Mtns area burns more than anywhere else -- up to once per decade in a given spot. 🧵

Think about this all the time.

We’re just going to have a bunch of newscycles where Trump voters are like “I didn’t actually think he was going to do …. Just because he said he was going to.”

🚨 Christmas and Chocolate: The hidden Supply Chain🚨
Chocolate is central to global celebrations, especially during Christmas, driving billions in economic activity and connecting farmers, factories, and consumers worldwide. This image reveals how interconnected it all is.
Public data & insights in 🧵

The Luigi-Scolds Don't Care About Changing Your Mind Online Scolds Know Their Tactic Doesn't Persuade People. That's Not Why They Do It.

“The goal of the scolds has never been to change hearts or minds. It was never about deep concern for a culture that was resorting to violence as a last resort. America has always been a deeply violent place, and these same people never really gave shit about any of that”

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT STATE O F CALIFORNIA PROCLAMATION OF A STATE OF EMERGENCY WHEREAS Avian influenza A (H5N1), commonly known as "Bird Flu," is widespread in wild birds worldwide, including the United States; and WHEREAS Bird Flu was first detected in t h e United States in the wild bird population i n S o u t h Carolina i n J a n u a r y 2022, i n t h e d o m e s t i c poultry population in Indiana in February 2022, a n d in t h e wild bird population i n California in July 2022; a n d WHEREAS Bird Flu primarily infects birds, but can also infect mammals, including humans; a n d WHEREAS on March 25, 2024, a n outbreak of Bird Flu infection in dairy cows w a s first reported in other states; a n d WHEREAS since March 25, 2024, there have been 61 total reported c o n fi r m e d c a s e s o f Bird Flu infection i n h u m a n s a c r o s s eight states, including 34 reported cases i n California, with n o documented instances of human-to- h u m a n transmission t o d a t e ; a n d WHEREAS on August 30, 2024, Bird Flu infection was confirmed in a dairy cow in Central California, with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) activating its Medical Health Coordination C e n t e r t h e s a m e d a y t o r e s p o n d t o t h e e m e r g e n t situation; a n d WHEREAS California h a s l e d t h e n a t i o n i n milk production s i n c e 1993, accounting for 18.2% of t h e United States' milk production in 2022, across more t h a n 1100 dairies statewide; a n d WHEREAS b e t w e e n August 30, 2024, a n d early December 2024, 641 dairies have confirmed positive tests for Bird Flu across nine California counties limited t o Central California; a n d WHEREAS in response t o t h e introduction of Bird Flu into California dairy cattle i n August 2024, t h e State o f California h a s mobilized a comprehensive on- scene response t o Bird Flu in dairy cattle and poultry farms across the state to minimize farm worker exposures, r e d u c e r a w dairy product contamina…

WHEREAS t o support these testing efforts, CDFA is utilizing t h e California Animal Health a n d F o o d Safety L a b t o c a p a c i t y, a s well a s four o t h e r l a b s in other states that a r e certified t o provide surge capacity for testing animals; a n d WHEREAS CDFA has taken additional actions to monitor for, a n d c o m b a t the spread of, Bird Flu infections in California herds, including b u t not limited to: epidemiologic trace investigations to identify farms at risk of transmission; halting all movement of cattle, poultry, a n d products a t high risk for spreading virus off of infected farms; establishing movement control zones for dairy a n d poultry t o protect unaffected regions; requiring a n d auditing e n h a n c e d biosecurity o n infected dairies a n d all poultry farms in a disease control zone; working with environmental protection agencies t o safely m a n a g e mass mortality material; decontaminating infected poultry farms; a n d managing a n d coordinating r e s e a r c h into m o d e o f transmission a n d a n i m a l health i m p a c t s of this n o v e l flu virus; a n d WHEREAS t h e State of California h a s enlisted local, state, a n d federal government technical and operational expertise to support all facets of the response; a n d WHEREAS t h e Labor & Workforce Development A g e n c y (LWDA), through the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR), and CDPH are engaging in a robust outreach strategy t o e d u c a t e employers a n d workers a b o u t Bird Flu, including launching a dedicated w e b p a g e with comprehensive information for employers a n d employees o n prevention a n d control measures t o reduce t h e risk of exposure t o Bird Flu a n d personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements, along with guidelines for additional safety measures like training a n d access t o medical services; conducting more than 20 outreach events, including industry-focused seminars in both Spanish a n d English, t o e d u c a…

WHEREAS despite these focused efforts t o contain the s p r e a d of Bird Flu in dairy cows, o n December 12, 2024, dairy cows a t four Southern California dairies tested positive for Bird Flu, necessitating a shift from regional containment to statewide monitoring a n d response t o active cases; a n d WHEREAS additional flexibility around staffing, contracting, and other rules will be critical to support the State's evolving response; and WHEREAS under t h e provisions of Government C o d e section 8558(b), I find that conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property exist due t o Bird Flu; a n d WHEREAS under t h e provisions of Government C o d e section 8558(b), I find t h a t t h e conditions c a u s e d b y Bird Flu, b y r e a s o n of their magnitude, a r e o r a r e likely t o b e b e y o n d t h e c o n t r o l of t h e services, personnel, e q u i p m e n t , a n d facilities of any single local government and require the combined forces of a mutual aid region or regions t o appropriately respond; a n d WHEREAS under the provisions of Government C o d e section 8625(c), I find that local authority is inadequate t o c o p e with t h e magnitude of t h e d a m a g e c a u s e d b y Bird Flu; a n d WHEREAS u n d e r t h e provisions o f G o v e r n m e n t C o d e section 8571, I find that strict compliance with various statutes and regulations specified in this Proclamation would prevent, hinder, or delay the mitigation of the effects of Bird NOW, THEREFORE, I, GAVIN NEWSOM, Governor of the State of California, in a c c o r d a n c e with t h e authority v e s t e d i n m e b y t h e S t a t e Constitution a n d statutes, including t h e California Emergency Services Act, a n d in particular, Government C o d e section 8625, HEREBY PROCLAIM A STATE OF EMERGENCY t o exist s t a t e w i d e d u e t o Bird Flu. IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT: 1. All agencies of the state government utilize a n d employ state personnel, equipment, and facilities for…

21220, 21224(a), and 7522.56(b), (d), (f), and (g), and the time limitations i n Government C o d e section 19888.1 a n d California C o d e of Regulations, title 2, sections 300-303 are suspended. All other restrictions must b e a d h e r e d t o for retired annuitants. The Director o f the California Department of Human Resources must b e notified of any individual employed in state government pursuant to these suspensions. The suspension of statutes identified in this Paragraph shall also apply t o local governments, a s applicable, t o ensure a d e q u a t e staffing t o appropriately respond t o Bird Flu. Local governmental agencies shall notify t h e California Public Employees' Retirement System or any other retirement system in which they participate, as applicable, of any individual employed b y a n a g e n c y pursuant t o this P a r a g r a p h . 4. The limitation for the period of employment for State Personnel Board emergency appointments, a s provided i n Government C o d e section 19888.1, is suspended for positions required for emergency response and/or recovery operations related t o t h e s p r e a d of Bird Flu. The requirements a n d period of employment for such appointments will b e determined b y t h e Office o f Emergency Services, b u t shall n o t extend beyond the termination d a t e of the State of Emergency. I FURTHER DIRECT t h a t as soon as hereafter possible, this Proclamation b e filed in t h e O f fi c e of t h e S e c r e t a r y o f S t a t e a n d t h a t w i d e s p r e a d publicity a n d notice b e given of this proclamation. This Proclamation is not intended to, and does not, create any rights or benefits, substantive or procedural, e n f o r c e a b l e a t l a w or in equity, against t h e State of California, its agencies, departments, entities, officers, employees, o r a n y other person. IN WITNESS WHEREOF I h a v e h e r e u n t o s e t m y h a n d a n d c a u s e d t h e G r e a t S e a l o f t h e S t a t e o f Calif…

California Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a State of Emergency due to concerns over bird flu infections across the US.

Avian flu suspected on South Africa’s remote Marion Island Half of world’s population of wandering albatross could be at risk

Bird flu spreading on the breeding site for half of the world’s population of wandering albatross.

Please never forget that the proliferation of bird flu has been relentlessly and viciously driven by human activity.

www.nature.com/articles/d44...

Explore Credit Cards For Your Situation | Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Search our database of credit cards to find ones that are best for you.

Back in March, I wrote here (prospect.org/economy/2024...) about the CFPB's plan for a public option for credit card shopping, a comparison site that won't give the best space to whoever pays them.
CFPB launched the site today. It's a rare case where we can have nice things.

Trump’s Retribution Tour Begins On Monday evening, Trump filed a lawsuit against Ann Selzer, the respected Iowa pollster whose final survey had Harris up three in the state. Is he actually trying to win, or just trying to intimidate...

NEW: Trump filed a civil lawsuit tonight against Ann Selzer, her polling company & the Des Moines register claiming consumer fraud and "brazen election interference" over her Nov 2 poll showing Harris winning. I got a first look at the suit, my take here: puck.news/trump-sues-i...

Earnest post, but: a thing I like here is it’s okay to have moments of happiness in public without being broadly scolded, and I believe that sustaining this kind of humanity will be very important as we resist fascism.

We have to sustain each other. Making joy isn’t denial, it’s how we will survive

If we weren't at such a weird moment in history, the collapse of Assad's regime would be widely understood as a huge success for the Biden administration, which pursued sanctions on Russia and Iran as well as Syria, armed Ukraine and thus weakened Russia, and supported Syrian democrats and activists

been said before, but it’s remarkable how much of american society is just unabashed scams now

Watching the people who were tortured by Assad…. And my anger for @TulsiGabbard defending him grows hotter.

Every senator that votes yes on her is complicit

Björguðu álftarunga vopnaðar hitabrúsa og brimbretti - RÚV.is Náttúruverndarsinni segir mikilvægt að huga að fuglunum þegar frostið bítur sem mest. Álftarunga sem sat frosinn fastur á ísilagðri Reykjavíkurtjörn var bjargað um helgina af náttúruverndarsinnum sem ...

I saw a post on Facebook yesterday about a swan frozen to the ice on Reykjavík pond. People were wondering what could be done and there was a comment from this absolute legend pictured below saying: "I am on my way with the necessary gear".

And there is just nothing cooler than people like this.

Dehumanization is a process. This reminds me of Arendt's concept of superfluous wealth using superfluous people as a means of fueling endless expansion. Homeless people are inherently rightless and considered both superfluous and outside of society.

i think it is important to clarify that this — the exclusionary distribution of benefits on some sort of ethnic or national basis — isn’t socialism. it’s, you know, something else.

If the folks setting up the new government in Syria want some ideas, I've looked into the situation for the last half hour or so and I think I could help. DMs are open.

um

Wading through the endless nightmare that is an online claim with United HealthCare and really, really, really trying not to think violent thoughts about whoever developed this fuckery.

we're cooked

unfortunately health insurance is a topic i am very passionate (evil) about. i have been on both the doctor and patient sides of being fucked over and denied coverage and the depth of the hatred i feel is boundless

If you want to understand why healthcare pricing is horrific, the first thing to know is that our system puts 100% of the credit risk for deductibles, copays and co-insurance on hospitals and doctors. That's insane.

We have turned them into Sub Prime Lenders 🧵